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One of the things that sets Christianity apart from other religions is the fact that we serve a God who actively seeks mankind. The true God does not distance Himself from His followers – but rather looks for them and inquires after them.

Right at the beginning of Genesis we see that God looked for Adam while He was walking about the Garden. He made Himself known to Adam and wanted to spend time with him:

“But the Lord God called to Adam and said to him, Where are you?” Gen 3:9

Later on in the Bible we hear Jesus tell a parable about lost sheep (referring to His flock and His followers), and how much joy He experiences when He finds one of His own:

“What man of you, if he has a hundred sheep and should lose one of them, does not leave the ninety-nine in the wilderness (desert) and go after the one that is lost until he finds it? And when he has found it, he lays it on his [own] shoulders, rejoicing.” Luke 15:4-5

“For the Son of Man came to seek and to save that which was lost.” Luke 19:10

In Christianity, all credit goes to God who first loved us. We cannot proclaim that we found God, because He has been actively seeking and pursuing us all this time. All that remains is for us to respond to His amazing love and wonderful character – which is the easiest thing to do!

As born-again children of God we cannot walk around thinking we are still subject to some kind of curse. These curses include the ones given to mankind in the Garden of Eden (women’s suffering in childbirth, man toiling and suffering to make a living etc.) as well as curses you might believe you have inherited (generational curses). Every single curse, including the curse of the law and condemnation, was fully dealt with on the cross.

“His body shall not remain all night upon the tree, but you shall surely bury him on the same day, for a hanged man is accursed by God.” Deut 21:23

“Christ purchased our freedom [redeeming us] from the curse (doom) of the Law [and its condemnation] by [Himself] becoming a curse for us, for it is written [in the Scriptures], Cursed is everyone who hangs on a tree (is crucified);” Gal 3:13

Jesus Himself became the curse for us. Deuteronomy says He actually became accursed by God. That means He was denounced, punished, condemned and chastised for our sins, in order for us to never bear the weight of a curse again.

“So if the Son liberates you [makes you free men], then you are really and unquestionably free.” John 8:36

In the beginning of Genesis we are told about a specific tree in the Garden of Eden which man should not have eaten from – the tree of the knowledge of good and evil.

“And out of the ground the Lord God made to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight or to be desired – good (suitable, pleasant) for food; the tree of life also in the center of the garden, and the tree of the knowledge of [the difference between] good and evil and blessing and calamity.” Gen 2:9

“…But of the tree of the knowledge of good and evil and blessing and calamity you shall not eat, for in the day that you eat of it you shall surely die.” Gen 2:17

God did not want mankind to eat from this tree, because He knew that this constant awareness of good and evil would take away the life He intended for man. He intended man to live in a close relationship with Him – to be so captivated by His presence that no knowledge of good and evil would be necessary. The death He was referring to is separation from God, the most terrible fate imaginable. The moment man ate of this tree his eyes suddenly opened to the law (the knowledge of good and evil), and the condemnation that the law brought caused him to hide himself from God’s presence (Gen 3:8).

Thank goodness God removed man from the Garden before he ate of the Tree of Life (referring to Jesus) in that state! Otherwise we would’ve been doomed to an eternity of submitting to rules and regulations – an eternity without the close companionship of God. The truth is we have been set free and redeemed by Christ, and we can once again live in glorious fellowship with God.

“[It is He] Who has qualified us [making us to be fit and worthy and sufficient] as ministers and dispensers of a new covenant [of salvation through Christ], not [ministers] of the letter (of legally written code) but of the Spirit; for the code [of the Law] kills, but the [Holy] Spirit makes alive.” 2 Cor 3:6